Book Review: FreakAngels Vol. 1 by Warren Ellis

Originally a free webcomic that was released every Friday, this collects the first 24 issues. Twelve children were born in England at exactly the same moment. They exhibit psychic abilities at varying degrees. Six years ago, the world ended in an undisclosed cataclysm that has left civilization in ruins. Now, at 23, they try to piece together their lives in Whitechapel, maybe the last real settlement in flooded London. They are the self-proclaimed Freakangels, the councilors and protectors of Whitechapel. Of the original twelve, only eleven remain.

This opening arc begins with a girl named Alice walking into Whitechapel, wielding a shotgun, and crying out for the Freakangels. When they detox her of the subliminal junk in her brain, Alice serves as a placeholder for the readers. Her tour of steampunk Whitechapel is our introduction to this strange, new world. She may even be a reference to “Alice in Wonderland”. She certainly left behind normalcy and entered a very different world.

Warren Ellis is a clever writer who allows the reader to glimpse fragments of the plot. He alludes to the developing backstory, unravels lengthy exchanges depicting the interpersonal relationship among his large ensemble of characters. The best asset of “FreakAngels” is the brilliant dialogue. Ellis has a masterful touch for regional accents; the characters are distinguished by variances in speeches: KK, for example, is bemused and snarky, while Luke sounds bitter and indifferent. The British overtones are thick in the air and the dry humor punctuates the punk teens’ exchanges.

Paul Duffield is a fantastic artist. The purple eyes, the scenic landscape, the authoritative command of colors really bring out the somber atmosphere of post-apocalyptic Whitechapel.

This is a neat achievement in webcomic publishing. Ellis is consistent in his prominent intellectualism and unbridled vulgarity. The sociocultural themes are apparent throughout the story. Despite the steampunk motifs (Victorian-style corsets, stunning inventiveness), the essence of the story more inclined towards the post-apocalyptic field, as it charts the progress of rebuilding and redemption.